HELP!! I know I have asked lots of questions in the last couple of days but please I have one more..

I just caught the mum doing something???? I dont know buyt the baby (only sounded like one) screeching,,, She wont let me catch her I was going to take her out... He was trying to mate with her yesterday but she seemed fine but what is she doing? I have to take her out dont I? Dont trust her now...

If there's no harm done to the chick do not remove the mother.. Try to leave her alone and watch from a far... Interupting her can lead to injury to the chicks...

If you think the mother is hurting the babies make sure you can see evidence first before disrupting her... Do you have any pictures of your setup by any chance?

She is still in there and no harm done that I can see, I was not to far when it started so I got to it straight away, all the babies were against the back wall, but I see them there heaps.

My set up is pitiful... (BUT - I have a huge cage and great set up sitting there ready to go when chicks fledge as I didnt want to change enviroment) the pair were given to me about 2.5 mths ago in a cage and a box was iggnorant then so got caught with babies on the way. So they are in a largeish bird cage at moment but yeh it isnt the best.

I am just watching from afar at the moment. There crops arnt full when I checked but she usually feeds them around 10.30 -11 am so they are proberly due again soon.

Its the little one I worry about, The other two change every day where as he is still just down with a few feathers. But he is the last egg of 5 I think so he is younger than the others, but I say to me self well in 5 days he will look how they do now but he isnt. But he gets fed ect so its all good but I would hate to think it was him screeching... (im a sucker for the under dog.)

All seems well at moment.. Maybe im just panicking at nothing. Us newbies hey... (Laughing out loud)

HELP!! I know I have asked lots of questions in the last couple of days but please I have one more..

do not worry about asking too many questions on this forum, you can never ask too much, we are all here learning from each other too :hap:

 

unfortunately, l cannot answer your question since l do not have any experience with breeding, l'm sure that one of the more experience breeder will come by and post soon.

I WOULD remove the mother. The dad wanting to mate is making her want to remove the babies from the nestbox. They are almost old enough to leave the nestbox anyway. BUT I have had mothers do that and would really suggest removing the mother. What if she attacks them to remove them when you arent there to hear ?

If you put the babies in a container on the floor of the cage, then Dad will feed them.

okay Im taking her out... Thank you :hap:

Put her in a recovery cage, not straight into the aviary....give her a couple of weeks on her own to become refreshed and healthy again. Not too close to the Dad and babies as they will call to each other ....:hap:

she is on her own now. She really was angry at me catching her. I took the babies out before I did so they were safe. Do I need to supplement them now you think? Ill wait and see if there crops are full a bit later I guess. I feel like Ive done this big thing seperating them, have a whole new element of worry. He is a good dad so im sure things will be okAlso putting babies in container. Does that mean remove the breeding box. Will they get cold at night?

Hi there,

 

there is no need to 'suppliment' them unless Dad isn't feeding them. As long as you check their crops are full, they will be fine. You can help out by having soft food and millet around. This will help Dad to feed them and will also help the babies out when they start trying to feed themselves. In any softfood mix added vitamins or calcium would help them to grow up healthy and strong.

 

 

Feathers.

I have vitamins i put in there water, and have been mixing 1 part hand rearing mix to 3 parts egg and biscuit and making it like porridge. The water I use for the egg and biscuit should I add vitamins to?

I have vitamins i put in there water, and have been mixing 1 part hand rearing mix to 3 parts egg and biscuit and making it like porridge. The water I use for the egg and biscuit should I add vitamins to?

Feathers has had some very good advice. And YES you can put the vitamin water through the "porridge" mix you have made up. About mid morning and after tea time feel under the chicks neck area to see if their crops are full. I use an upturned icecream tub with wood shavings in for the babies that are on the floor of the breeder cage. They keep each other warm. I also put millet in with them or a small dish of seed. Yours are mostly feathered arent they ?

Edited March 17, 200817 yr by KAZ

yes they are bar the youngest, he is still mostly down. He isnt developing as quick as the other two. The dad was in feeding them but he is mostly calling for her. Dont think they have been seperated for a long long time.

Keep her further away so he isnt distracted

going to check them soon, feed them if I have to, I dont think he has??

Do you know how to feed chicks? or have any food on hand?

I went to a pet shop that I know the owner is a keen bird breeder. He gave me some food that he said he has raised heaps of babies on. He recommended that I get a tea spoon and bend it with pliers to immitate a beak. Any advise you haev would be good.

I havnt fed them yet, I just checked on them before and there crops are not full. However they arnt crying for food either. He was in the box earlier feeding them but he is just sitting on his perch calling her. They are on opposite sides of the house and as much as I think I have done the right thing I think he is missing her big time. Im wondering if that alone will impact on his ability..

Will they be okay if tehy miss a feed? Would they miss their mum?

Your doing a great job, the guys and girls on this forum are a fantastic source of information. You sound pretty stressed about the whole situation... before you try hand feeding them make sure you take some long deep breaths don't wanna be scaring the chicks... good luck with the youngest you are doing a great job.

Thank you, I am stressed. I would be devastated if I lost one. Esp the youngest. I have never had babies of any animal nature before and they have been such good parents until yesterday and today and I jsut dont know if I should just back off or if im doing what I should be. I doubt its a coincidense taht I happen to catch them on the only two occasions. (him mating and her doing something to make one screech out)

This forum is amazing I must say. Good work you guys. I discovered it because every google I made led hear. An abudunce of info and help on hand.

I think a little fire lit in my soul when those eggs were laid and I have a funny feeling this is the beginning of something new.

If the babies arent crying out for food they should be okay for now. The dad will feed them in the morning. Can he hear his hen ? If so can you move her to where he cant ? Give the dad plenty of soft easy food to encourage him to feed the babies....give the babies some millet in their container to nibble on.....even if you have to layer the container with seed.

Re the spoon...the easiest way to create a spoon for feeding is to use a plastic spoon, put it in boiling water and bend the sides in.

Edited March 17, 200817 yr by KAZ

She is really quiet. Not calling out at all. They are not near each other. Its just him calling out to her.

The plastic spoon sounds much easier. Thanks.

She is really quiet. Not calling out at all. They are not near each other. Its just him calling out to her.

The plastic spoon sounds much easier. Thanks.

If the chicks are still alert and okay...wait until after a the mid morning feedtime and see if Dad has fed them. They need to be crying urgently for food for him to focus on his job. If they havent been fed by lunchtime tomorrow try with the spoon and formula.

No probs. Ill do that. Should I worry if the big chicks are siting on the little one even his head. When I checked them earlier one was just sitting there comfy as on his head !

No probs. Ill do that. Should I worry if the big chicks are siting on the little one even his head. When I checked them earlier one was just sitting there comfy as on his head !

They can wriggle out from under a brother or sister. They pack themselves like sardine in nestboxes most of the time and parents run all over their newborns too. Tougher than we give them credit for.

One of my lacewing chicks fell from the nestbox at age 4 days old, fell 6 feet and landed on concrete ....the floor of the birdroom. That baby is still here and fine

Yes im sure I dont give them enough credit. I checked their crops before, they did not look full so I made my beak - Broke about 10 plastic spoons... (Laughing out loud) So i got some plastic curled it up and fastened it. The two eldest were not interested but the younger one got straight into it. I wasnt sure how much to feed him and his crop wasnt full still but he stopped so I did too. The dad is still just chit cahtting away so ive moved her even further but he is still at it. Havnt seen him in the box all morning. They arnt crying for food and arnt lethargic so im just leaving them to it and will offer more food this afternoon if there crops are stuill not full

Good news. They can go a alittle while without food. But make sure there is seed in their container where they are so they can try for themselves. And easy food for Dad so he can feed them quickly when he has to. Keep us updated